Body-indicating buoy.



PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903.

H. GONDREN. BODY INDIGATING BUOY. APPLICATION FILED an 1a. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

11v VENTOH Hugh 6072 dren NiThn STATES Patented August 18, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

BODY-INDICATING BUOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 736,692, dated August18, 1903. Application filed May 13,1903. Serial No. 156,945. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH OoNnRnN, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada,residing at the city of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia,Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Body-IndicatingBuoys, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an indicating and life-saving buoy which beingworn or carried by a person exposed to a risk of drowning and attachedby a stout light line to the clothing or person of the wearer isdesigned to float on the surface of the water when the body issubmerged, and thus afford a means of effecting a rescue, or if aidarrives too late for that purpose enables the body to be lo cated andrecovered without recourse to the comparatively slow and tedious processof diving or dragging.

My device is fully described in the following specification andillustrated in the drawings which accompany it, Figure 1 of which is ageneral View of the buoy, showing the line attachment to a belt. Fig. 2is a section through the buoy and cap, and Fig. 3 illustrates theapplication of the device to a yachting or boating cap.

The buoy itself consists of an inflated india-rubber ball 2 of suitablesize, to which a light strong line 3 of any desired length is secured,the other end of such line being connected to an eye in the back of anordinary belt 4:, designed to be buckled around the waist of the wearer.

In its application for bathers or skaters the inflated ball 2 isinclosed in a network of twine, by means of which it is secured in anopening in the crown of a cap 5, of any suitable fabric, the outer orexposed side of the ball being covered with red cloth to make it aconspicuous object when in the water.

The cap 5 may be furnished around the rim with an elastic band 6,designed to hold it on the head of the wearer, but not so tightly as toprevent it coming readily off when the head is submerged.

The application may be made to a yachting-cap 7, as illustrated in Fig.3, by simply securing the ball to the body of the cap, or the ball maybe dispensed with by forming the upper part of the cap in doublethickness out of the way.

of air-tight material, between which an airspace is preserved.

My device is worn in the following manner by a person exposed to anyrisk of drowning, whether boating, bathing, or skating: The belt 4, towhich the buoy'line is attached, is buckled around the waist, and theline 3 being coiled in the inside the cap is worn on the head with theline connection to the waist-belt falling down the back, so as to be Itthrough any mischance the wearer is in danger of drowning and sinks, thecap at once comes off and floats on the surface of the water, thusenabling a res cuer to aidmore quickly than h could otherwise do, as theposition of the drowning person is indicated at once by the buoy, andthe line is strong enough to allow the wearer to be pulled in by .it.Similarly, assuming the drowning person to have sunk for the last timebefore the rescuer reaches the spot where last seen, the position is atonce located, and the body being rapidly recovered there is a much morefavorable prospect of resuscitation.

In the case of skaters who fall through the ice the buoy will not bedrawn under unless the current beneath is very strong, but will remainfloating in the hole and aiford a ready means for rendering promptassistance. If, however, aid is not forthcoming and the person drowns,the location of the body is indicated, and it may be at once recoveredinstead of having to drag for it or wait until decomposition causes itto float-alternatives which frequently subject relatives of the deceasedto'such long-sustained and trying anxiety.

Having now particularly described my invention, I declare that what Iclaim as new, and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a body-indicating device, the combination with a cap of aninflated buoyant chamberin the same, a body-belt, and a light strongline connecting them.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with ahead-covering or cap of an inflated buoyant ball secured thereto, alight line adapted to be coiled within the cap, one end of which issecured to the cap, and means for securing the other end of the line tothe body of the wearer.

[ Q redeem 3. In a body-indicating device, the combiname to thisspecification in the presence of nation of an inflated buoyant ballsecured by two subscribing witnesses. a, light line to the back of aWaist-belt, a headcovering or cap secured to the-ball, having in UOONDREN' 5 the rim a band of flexible material adapted Iu presence oftohold it on the head of the wearer. ROWLAND BRITTAIN,

In testimony whereof I have signed my 1 ELLIGE W EBBER.

